Tamiya M10 IIC Achilles

[Mr Bowcat]

Morning Guys.

I have had very little time at the bench since my last update, so not a huge amount has been done. Basically I got all the remaining odds and sods off the sprue's and cleaned up. The turret was then masked top and bottoms and everything primed with Mr Surfacer 1500.



As this vehicle has a single colour I am using the black basing technique to try and add some variation to the top coat. I started the mottling process last night, I still have the lower part of the hull to do but should be able to get that done tonight and start the thinned top coats. I'm using Hataka orange line paint, which goes down beautifully and dries quickly.

[Jim R]

Hi Bob
Looking very neat and sorted. I've heard of this painting technique but not seen the process before, very interesting.
Jim

[Mr Bowcat]

Cheers Jim.

Black basing is normally used for aircraft, but I find it useful for big slabs of green armour like this one too. I used the same technique on the Tamiya M40 I built a while ago.

[Road of Bones]

Nice work Bob- like Jim, I haven't seen this technique before either, though it looks like a variation on preshading panel lines. (learning reciprocated! :smiling: )

The casting texture on the mantlet and counterweights is rather nice - is that the moulding?

[Mr Bowcat]

Cheers Alistair.

Yes, effectively a different type of pre-shading but does more or less the same job. It's quite good on jobs like this where there aren't that many panel lines, but there are big flat areas to paint. It's worth having a look at this website https://doogsmodels.com/2014/07/03/t...-black-basing/, this feller brought the technique to the masses.

And yes, the cast texture is the moulded parts. Tamiya did a very nice job of it.

[scottie3158]

Bob,
That looks like a useful technique and very nicely done.

[Mr Bowcat]

Cheers Paul, but will have to wait for the top coat before I can call it a success. It's very easy to obliterate the mottling which is why the final layers have to be thinned so much. It's a fine line between not enough and too much.

[Steve Jones]

Thats soooo nice Bob. You really have that mottled effect off to a T now. Looking forward to seeing the next update

[Guest]

It's very easy to obliterate the mottling which is why the final layers have to be thinned so much. It's a fine line between not enough and too much. :smiling3:

lol, that's what I normally do - all that hard work ruined by one coat too many :smiling5:

I'm starting to get the hang of it though and my recent Lightning and T-35 are my best efforts yet, but looking forward to seeing how well this turns out.

[Mr Bowcat]

Cheers guys.

Will probably leave the top coat until the weekend so I have some natural light, I find it difficult to judge when to stop under just artificial light alone. In the meantime I sprayed up some of the other parts last night so I have some detail painting I can get on with, including making a start on the figures.

[Mr Bowcat]

I didn't get very far last night as I had to work late, but did manage to get the tools, bed rolls and MG painted up.

[Jack L]

That .50cal looks phenomenal!!

[Mr Bowcat]

Cheers Jack.

I took the time to drill out (what I think is) the cooling jacket, and the end of the barrel, which I think helped.

[Jim R]

Hi Bob
Agree with Jack - stunning job on the MG.
Jim

[scottie3158]

Bob,
The .50 cal is the nuts.